Trust
by AB-maybecrazy
Summary: Based on season 1 Episode 7 (the autistic patient). I just wondered: How does a man go from „He doesn't belong here" to „He has my complete confidence"?


**So I was watching season 1 Episode 7 (the autistic patient) and I wondered: How does a man go from „**_**He doesn't belong here" **_**to **_**„He has my complete confidence"**_**?**

**I DO NOT OWN ANY ‚THE GOOD DOCTOR' CHARACTERS OR STORYLINES!**

**No Beta, all mistakes are mine.**

6 weeks ago, he wouldn't have seen it. 6 weeks ago, he couldn't have seen it. But first and foremost, 6 weeks ago, he wouldn't have cared.

There was a moment of silence, as he couldn't help but glance into his young, pale, seemingly distracted face that, to the unknown eye, looked totally emotionless. But Neil Melendez wasn't unknowing. Not anymore. So when he looked at Shaun Murphy, who, after all the good work he'd done on this case, all the emotional and physical effort he'd put into it, was now to be excluded of the surgery that would save Liam's life, Neil Melendez didn't fail to notice the disappointment.

„I'll have to clear this with my superior." Melendez heard himself say for lack of a better response.

Thinking about it now, there had been no need for a verbal response. Shaun understood, he could handle it and all Melendez had to do was nod and go on with the plan. However, something held him back. Not that he didn't think he would manage the surgery without Shaun - hell no - but for some unnatural, utterly surprising reason, Neil Melendez didn't want to hurt his only autistic resident. He didn't want him to think, he didn't belong. Which was odd, because Melendez himself had told Shaun that he didn't belong the very first day they met. So what changed his mind?

The patients parents repeated their request, indicating no room for argument and technically, the parents held all rights to Liam's medical decision.

But did this count as a medical decision. Were they allowed to chose their medical attendant because of his diagnosis? After Shaun was first hired, Dr. Marcus Andrews had complained in a rare moment of companionship to Neil, that Glassman dared to compare racism and sexism to the exclusion of people with special needs. Under that perspective: Nobody was allowed to ask for a new doctor because their old one didn't have the „right" sex or color.

But then again. Glassman's comparison wasn't without faults. People with Autism had scientifically proven deficits, black people and women did not. Reading social cues, communication, empathy… All those were things Shaun struggled with and Neil had seen it. And if things got too overwhelming, whether he wanted it or not, Shaun would break down like Liam had in the MRI. Maybe not as quickly, but still.

The parents' worries were valid. Hell, Melendez and everyone else on the team had the exact same arguments. Still, Shaun didn't get on his team for no reason and he didn't remain on it for no reason either.

„_That child is alive because of this deficit."_

„_And tomorrow one might be dead because of it."_

Shaun's first case on the job had included a young girl with a stomach ache. Neil had send her home for very valid, understandable and scientifically proven reasons. He had reprimanded Shaun for being ‚too thorough'. Next thing he knows, that girl is back in with life-threatening intestinal malrotation, only Shaun had considered and couldn't forget. That child as well was alive because of Shaun and his _deficit._

At this point of Neil's inner debate and reflexion, one might question, why he didn't let Shaun do the surgery. Why didn't he tell those parents right away, that he knew Dr. Murphy had proven to be capable of doing this. That he was able to withstand the stress and stay concentrated. That he was not a threat to the patient.

„Do you agree with them?", Glassmann had asked, as if he knew the answer. A tad of amusement glittered in his eyes, knowing full well, that Shaun lived up to most of what the president had promised.

„I don't like people telling me how to run my team." Melendez dodged the question, underlining his own opinion on hiring Shaun, which was still accurate. Or so he thought.

And then the wise old doctor simply broke the issue down to a yes or no decision Melendez couldn't run away from, and left him to his thoughts.

Bringing him right were he was before, with a little more pressure to add.

If he said yes and granted Liam's parents their wish, he would underline his disagreeing with the board of hiring a doctor with autism and thrust him in his team without consulting the leader first. _I mean I'm just the one who has to work with him and take part of the fall should he screw up! _He thought bitterly, as he had several times before. The surgery would still go well, because Neil himself was a brilliant surgeon and the parents would be happy.

But, and there just had to be a but, not only would he upset his residents, and he had no doubt they'd all be disappointed. He would also put a strain on Shaun's confidence, whose skills, and there was no denying there, where indeed an asset. Also, Murphy was smart enough to know, that exclusion from surgery would be a form of punishment and on this case, on this day, he had done nothing that deserved punishing. To the contrary, Liam was his patient, it was his case and most importantly, his diagnosis. Plus, agreeing with the parents would mean agreeing with their conviction, that Shaun couldn't do this surgery.

„_How many times is Shaun gonna have to prove himself, before you give him a shot?"_

Shaun had proven himself. Inside surgery and outside. He had handled everything Melendez threw at him without complaining and the outcome had been more than satisfying most of the time. He had been working on his social skills, albeit not very successfully, and his punctuality. Whether it was because of, or despite of his deficits, Shaun really was brilliant. He was dedicated, skilled, ambitious and confident. Everything Neil looked for in a surgeon.

And as he walked towards his patients room, still going through those arguments over and over in his head, deep down he knew, that he had already made up his mind. And when he spoke it, when he listed all the reasons why Shaun _should _participate in the surgery, he didn't have to lie, didn't have to pretend. Not just because he was arrogant, as his youngest resident never got tired of pointing out, but because he was convinced by them himself.

So when the parents stayed stubborn, so did he. His team, his decision. It was either all of them or no one at all.

„_You know your son, I know surgeons. And after working with Dr. Murphy, after challenging him probably more than he deserved, I can tell you he has my complete confidence."_

And Neil Melendez knew that he would probably doubt this conviction at some point again, but not today. On this day, this case and this surgery, he knew he did the right thing by trusting Shaun Murphy.


End file.
